By the end of the year, the incinerator will be sold and the city's parking system will be leased.

There's a new mayor, two new city council members, and a city controller about to take office.

On top of all that, there are plans on the horizon to repair the city's infrastructure, boost its economy, and create a new comprehensive plan.

Tara Leo Auchey

With so much change happening at once, what will the new year bring for Harrisburg?

In the spirit of the season, I'm going to lay out what I hope happens.

I hope Mayor-elect Eric Papenfuse swiftly achieves his goal of improving City Hall. That is: He uses his business acumen to better organize the city's operations and establish an improved morale and efficiency.

It's not a secret that the city government has great room for improvement.

Antiquated processes slow it down and a lack of clear policies keeps the basic work from being accomplished. While some of the fixes will take money, other areas can be tackled with a strategic management plan and consistent implementation. It's anticipated Papenfuse's business experience will come in handy.

As the new mayor works with other leaders throughout the city---elected and not---I hope he forges healthy and professional relationships.

In the past there have been too many personal clashes that have hindered progress. We certainly don't need any more personalities taking over projects, especially when there is so much to get accomplished.

The most promising approach to improve Harrisburg is bringing together people and sharing information and resources.

In that same vein, I hope regionalism becomes a credo of the Greater Harrisburg area.

One of the city's greatest challenges is its relationship with its regional neighbors. For far too long, the region has dismissed the city and alienated it -- and vice-versa. Of course, the main stories out of the city have been off-putting.

Those stories, though, don't necessarily represent the true situation and attitude within the city.

It's a place of pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps motivation, innovation, ambition, and strong community initiative. There is arts, culture, food, education, and history. The options and opportunities of the city are unique to this urban place.

Ideally in the new year, more people of the region will know this, too.

More people will know this if more good news is spread. This should be an aim of the new year.

There's no denying that Harrisburg has its issues. Every place does. And while, it's easy to go with the habitual "if it bleeds it leads" approach, continually sharing the same stories in the same way, serves very little purpose as news.

There are many other issues being ignored, overlooked, or neglected such as community triumphs, struggles and needs.

May more people explore these stories of Harrisburg. Not only would it be a more actual depiction of the trials and tribulations of the city, it could result in more people wanting to engage instead of turning away.

I hope more city residents find ways to trust one another as well as people from outside the city.

It's going to take as many of us as possible to raise this place up from its broken bits. There will be a strong need for collaboration. There's very little time for distrust, discredit, and disregard, which has too often been infirmities to the city's development.

Ultimately, though, I hope that everyone recognizes that Harrisburg is Pennsylvania's capital city, and we should realize that those of us who live in and around the city have the responsibility of being caretakers of this important place.

Hopefully, everyone does what's they can to fulfill that duty. That alone would guarantee good things for Harrisburg in the new year.

Tara Leo Auchey is a member of Harrisburg mayor-elect Eric Papenfuse's Transition Team, Communications Committee. She's coordinating a team analyzing and making recommendations on the city's website and social outreach.

Each week, Tara answers a reader's question (or combination of readers' questions) about Harrisburg. If you have a question, send it to questions@todaysthedayhbg.com.

Please include your full name, town, and phone number. Only your first name will be publicized.

She is the creator and editor of the community-based online publication, today's the day Harrisburg, which focuses on the news, people, and projects of the City of Harrisburg. Follow on Twitter and on Facebook.

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